Love Found?
by Verse12
Summary: Ranma-Maison Ikkoku, The Sequal to Love Lost, Ranma arrives at Maison Ikkoku to begin his new life only to be confronted by his past. : : : Surprise, Surprise An Update. Please let me know what you think.
1. Chapter One: Old Friend

************************  
  
Love Found?  
  
By Verse12  
  
Verse12@hotmail.com  
  
************************  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters nor do I claim too, this is a simple fan based homage. Their creators and the companies they work for and with own the characters and all that pertains to them. (I.E. Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, Shougakukan) This is just fans of the show expressing their love for it for fun, no profit is involved or expected thank you.  
  
Author's notes: Here we go the sequel to Love Lost, you will need to read the prequel fic Love Lost for this to make much sense, okay, thanks.  
  
(Revised on Apr. 4, 2004. Updated the grammar and spelling, plus made some fixes on dialogue and text.)  
  
***********************  
  
Chapter One  
  
Old Friend  
  
***********************  
  
Ranma ran through the rain he smiled as his feet pounded on the pavement and through the puddles that splashed around him. "I LOVE THE RAIN," he shouted out in glee into the night.  
  
"WELL GOOD FOR YOU, I GOTTA GET UP EARLY IN THE MORNING!" screamed a voice from a house he passed.  
  
"SORRY" Ranma yelled back contritely, before his smile broke out again.  
  
Ranma smiled as he ran on thinking how happy he was to finally be on track. 'I wasted so much time today when I got lost,' he snorted 'now I think I understand a little how Ryoga feels.'  
  
He mumbled to himself, "But it should be just around the corner, can't believe it's almost 7:30 at night. I hope the manager is there; she wasn't when I called earlier. And I want to ask that Yotsuya guy about those bad directions he gave me."  
  
He broke into a faster pace as he saw a building matching the description of Ikkoku-kan that he got when he had stopped for directions. Its fairly rundown appearance stood out starkly in the lamplight. He dashed down the road along a head high wall and came to a break in said wall that lead to a concrete pathway that was cut in a triangular pattern. He stopped his dash and looked up at the building it was a two story wooden structure with a large clock in the center of the roof built sometime before World War II. An awning covered the double doors that marked the entrance; bright light flooded out from opaque windows that were set in the doors.  
  
"Well the grounds look taken care of, but the wood in the building looks old and patched, anyway its in my price range so lets check it out," he muttered.  
  
Ranma walked toward the front entrance whistling to himself. When suddenly, "BARK, BARK" sounded from Ranma's left. He jumped into the air screaming "AARRRGGGHHH."  
  
Ranma landed in a defensive crouch and looked around wildly before his eyes settled on a large and ugly white dog chained to a doghouse by the front door. "Man how did I miss you big fella?" Ranma questioned.  
  
He walked over to the barking dog and held out his hand palm up "see big guy, I don't mean any harm I'm just looking for a room okay?" The big dog sniffed his hand then licked it before he jumped up onto Ranma's shoulders and licked his face. "Whoa, ha ha, stop it, big fella," Ranma said with a laugh as his face was licked all over.  
  
The pig-tailed man stood up and smiled down at the dog "well I want to get out of this drizzle okay, not that I haven't spent more time than I care too think about out in the rain, see you later pooch." He walked up under the awning that covered the front door and shook off the rain.  
  
He smiled too himself and knocked on the door and waited and waited and waited, but no answer. He tried the door and found it open he opened it a bit and peeked inside.  
  
"Hello, Hello? Anyone here?" He heard voices laughing and joking from inside, Ranma stepped into the foyer. The wooden floors shone with polish, and a telephone stood to the left along with another hall that led away from it. Room number one stood across from the front door and what looks like the WC was on the opposite side of the foyer from phone. The sounds were coming from a staircase to the side of the WC; another hall ran down beside the staircase.  
  
"HELLO" Ranma hollered out, trying to get someone's attention.  
  
"Ah a guest this fair evening to whom do I have the pleasure of greeting this fine evening kind sir?" Asks a man in his mid to late thirties in a black suit and tie, the faint hint of alcohol lingered on his breath and a slight stager was evident in his walk as he came down the stairs.  
  
Before Ranma could respond a female voice slurred from behind the man "soo wass sis gahin on." A red headed woman wearing a very sheer negligee peaked around from behind the man "Whoa, major beefcake" she said wide-eyed catching sight of Ranma. Ranma himself blushed and turned his gaze from the couple.  
  
He stammered uncomfortably saying "I'm sorry I . . .the, I mean, that is to say, I called earlier about a room I'm sorry the door was open I'll just leave now bye." With this Ranma turned around to leave when the woman lunged forward and grabbed his arm, "no, no hansom you stay right hear we wer aven a parte so com on up ear with us an ave a liddle drinky poo okay."  
  
It had been a long time since he had had to deal with an over amours female. Ranma was momentarily stunned into speechlessness as the woman began to drag him to the stairs so quickly he is barely able to get his shoes off. "Now wait a minute here I really don't drink and a . . . a party? I don't think that this is a good idea I had better leave."  
  
"Now, now my boy don't be like that," the man said and grabbed Ranma's other arm and pulled him to the stairs. "It's just to be sociable, just a little gathering between us in this, our humble domicile, by the way I am mister Yotsuya."  
  
"An I'm Akem . . ." hiccup "skuz me I'm Akemi Roppongi pleze to meet you hansom," says the woman as she cuddled up to Ranma. "An wash yur name?" she asked.  
  
As they began to drag him up stairs Ranma stammered out his name in reply, now Ranma could have broken away but he was a little put off by the two. Plus he was trying to behave with better manners so in the end he let them drag him up the stairs. His first sight of second floor was of a long hallway that ran along the front of the building with a large sink in the middle underneath the window.  
  
To the right several apartment doors lined the wall each with an opaque window set into it and a painted number on the glass. As the duo drug Ranma up to an open door where the laughing and carrying on was going on Yotsuya laughingly told Ranma that the manager was currently out but that they were expecting her back shortly.  
  
"I'm sorry but I really should go." Ranma said as they neared the door he stopped making the other two jerk to a halt.  
  
"No, no my good man you can get to know your new neighbors, so what do you do anyway, Hum?" asks Yotsuya.  
  
"Well I am a martial artist but I plan on going to university soon, I was looking for a cheap place to live while I look for a job.  
  
"Oh a martial artis," Akemi said gushingly as she rubbed up against Ranma, "an goin to college." Very uncomfortable Ranma blushed "I really wish you wouldn't do that ma'am."  
  
Before Akemi could respond a short, overweight, middle-aged woman leaned out the door of room five, "hey you guys what's taken so long are we have'n a party or what, WHOA and who's this, you're a good looking one" exclaimed the woman.  
  
"Mrs. Ichinose, this is our new neighbor one Ranma Saotome, Ranma this is Mrs. Ichinosei she and her family live in room number one downstairs."  
  
"Um . . . pleased to meet you," Ranma stammered out.  
  
"You too, well come on in and join the party," she stated before she turned around and reentered the room.  
  
In an almost bewildered state Ranma let himself be dragged into a room. The small one room apartment had a closet to one side and a small kitchenette by the door; a younger man sat at a desk his back to the door. "WOULD YOU GUYS PLEASE LEAVE ME ALONE, I HAVE TO STUDY FOR AN EXAM TOMMOROW!" he yelled out.  
  
"Now, now young Godai is that anyway to speak when we have guest, in fact he is to be our new neighbor," Yotsuya said.  
  
"Yah Godai don be so rude," Akemi, slurred, who finally let go of Ranma as she wandered over to a mug of beer.  
  
"Now wait a second, I haven't said yes to anything yet, in fact the more I see of this place the more I don't think it is the right place for me," Ranma stated emphatically.  
  
"Oh and what's wrong with this place hum?" Mrs. Ichinose asked as she walked up to Ranma belligerently. "You to good for a place like this is it?"  
  
"No that's not that it all," Ranma stammered out kind of embarrassed at his own outburst. "I just need a more stable environment to study and . . ."  
  
"You and me both" the twenty something young man at the desk muttered, effectively cutting off whatever Ranma was going to say next.  
  
"Anyway all my reasons are my own, I didn't mean any offense. I think I will be going now, I am sorry to have disturbed you I'll see my self-out, thank you," With this Ranma bowed and left the room.  
  
"Aw honey don go," Akemi said and staggered over to the door following after Ranma. Yotsuya and eventually the others followed her as well. "Yes Ranma my dear boy stay, the manager should be home any minute and she was rather excited by the chance of renting out one of the other rooms."  
  
"No that's okay I'll just be going," Ranma said and walked down the stairs. He strode over to the foyer and sat down to put on his shoes. After he did that he stood up and smiled as he turned to face the gathered group behind him "well it's been nice."  
  
With that he grasped the handle of the door and began to open it when he heard some voices on the other side, in the background he heard Yotsuya mention something about the manager being back from her date with "The Coach?" But Ranma's confusion isn't over this it's over the voice of the woman; it sounded very familiar to him.  
  
When he felt a tug on the door from the other side he let go, only to gasp in shock at the sight before him. For there before him stood none other than his old childhood friend.  
  
*********************  
  
The gathered residents of Maison Ikkoku plus Coach Mitaka (who was hiding on the far side of the patio as far away from the dog Souichiro as possible.) react in different ways to the utterances issued by the new guy and Manager Otanashi, for what they said in shocked tones and gazes to each other was.  
  
"Ran-Chan"  
  
"U-Chan"  
  
To be continued:  
  
*********************  
  
End notes: well let me know what you think please. Oh and for those of you who do not know what a WC is, it stands for water closet, a toilet. Any way please Review thank you.  
  
New end notes: I was going to work on the next chapter but it had been so long I went back to reread the old chapters and I couldn't get through them. So I decided to do a little revision on these old chapters before going onto the next new chapter.  
  
Signed: Verse12 


	2. Chapter Two: Questions & Answers

************************  
  
Love Found?  
  
By Verse12  
  
Verse12@hotmail.com  
  
************************  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters nor do I claim too, this is a simple fan based homage. Their creators and the companies they work for and with own the characters and all that pertains to them. (I.E. Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, Shougakukan) This is just fans of the show expressing their love for it for fun, no profit is involved or expected thank you.  
  
(Revised on Apr. 5, 2004. Updated the grammar and spelling, plus made some fixes on dialogue and text.)  
  
***********************  
  
Chapter Two  
  
Questions and Answers  
  
***********************  
  
Coach Shun Mitaka had a bad day. First his date with the lovely widow and manager of Maison Ikkoku, Kyoko Otonashi ended much to soon because . . . well he didn't want to think about that, those bloody dogs were everywhere. Then that . . . animal had lugged at him when they had arrived back here, luckily he was still chained this time.  
  
And now just when he was about to ask if her if he could come in for a cup of tea, this man just stood in the way and called Mrs Otonashi, U-Chan of all things, what in the world was going on?  
  
That Question seemed to be on the minds of the residents of the Maison as well, Especially Godai. After a shocked moment of confusion the questions came from the surrounding listeners.  
  
"U-chan, Ran-chan? What's is going on Ms Otonashi?" Asks Coach Mitaka.  
  
"How do you know each other?"  
  
"You kno dis hottie."  
  
"This story promises to be quite interesting indeed." Many other questions and comments bombard the stunned duo. Though Mrs Otonashi and this man were evidently quite oblivious to what was going on around them as they just stood there. Even Akemi who started squawking loudly after she realized that she was soaking wet and stumbled upstairs didn't disturb them. (A .N. it was her glomping onto Ranma after he was out in the rain, she was just too drunk to realize it at first.)  
  
When they finally did begin to speak to each other they seemed to have forgotten that they were not alone. The coach and the others trailed off in their questions as the manager and the new guy were evidently ignoring them. The assembled group just listened as the two begin to mutter to each other a confusing dialogue.  
  
"What," she licked her lips, "What are you . . . doing here Ran-chan?" Kyoko asked.  
  
"I . . . was looking for a room to rent . . . um and this place was, um you know," the man mumbled.  
  
"Rooms two and three are still open," Kyoko, said still dazed.  
  
"Oh that's good, I'll have to check those out, if that's okay with you, that is."  
  
"Oh yes, that's fine with me it'll be nice too fill another room," Kyoko replied in a distant tone of voice. "I, um saw Ryoga about a year ago, you know."  
  
"Oh really? I haven't seem him in while, he stopped . . . you know . . . coming by," Ranma trailed off into a mumble.  
  
"Yes he told me Akari was expecting soon, the last time I saw him, I ended up helping him get home to her so he wouldn't miss the birth, boy was she glad." Kyoko commented with a bewildered smile,  
  
"It was a nice to visit with them. She had the baby a few months ago, a little girl they named Ryeka . . . I got a nice card" she finished in a rush.  
  
She paused for a moment before she continued, "He told me . . . he told me how you two had been having problems? You know no matter what I just wanted the best for you, right?"  
  
"I know, and yes we were having a lot of problems the last time I saw Ryoga," Ranma said.  
  
"Were?" Kyoko questioned.  
  
"Yes, we were. We . . . we're divorced now, for about six months." Ranma said with a down cast face.  
  
Kyoko suddenly lunged forward and embraced Ranma in a comforting hug as she exclaimed "Oh Ran-chan I'm so sorry."  
  
Ranma smiled and patted her on the back, "it's okay U-chan, it happened months ago. I've had a chance to see things more clearly since then. It really helped me grown and change a lot since then." Then in a quieter voice he said "you know, looking back now I can see, that . . . you were right."  
  
She looked up at Ranma with tears threatening in her eyes and said, "I'm sorry about that, I was hurt and upset. I shouldn't have said the things I did."  
  
"No U-chan you were perfectly right to say what you did. In fact," Ranma began while he held her out by the shoulders. "I want to apologize for all the things I said and did to you back then, I shouldn't have taken advantage and used you like I did."  
  
He sighed and asked, "Can you ever forgive me?"  
  
Kyoko Smiled and gave him another big hug before she let him go and told him that she always regretted how things turned out between them so many years ago.  
  
Ranma smiled at her and said, "Well I think we should just start over, as long as that's all right with you U-chan."  
  
Kyoko smiled right back and responded, "That's fine with me Ran-chan, Friends?"  
  
"Friends," he said "And as friends U-chan what's with the Kasumi wear anyway?"  
  
Kyoko grimaced slightly and said, "Well after everything that happened back in high school, I just felt like a change would be better, you know?"  
  
"Yeah I understand the need for change, that's one lesson I learned recently the hard way," Ranma replied.  
  
"Speaking of changes," Ranma began still not noticing the various stunned expressions from the people that surround him about his obvious close relationship with the manager.  
  
"I heard from some of Akane's friends that you got married?" Ranma said smiling good-naturedly. "How's that going for you and when can I meet him anyway? Huh?"  
  
At this statement he noticed the tears form in Kyoko's eyes as she stepped back away from him. A slight gasp arose from the surrounding onlookers at this statement.  
  
"What's wrong U-chan?" Ranma asked in confusion.  
  
"Ranma . . . Souichiro, my husband he . . . he passed away almost two years ago." Kyoko said as she looked away "he," she began before she saw the surrounding onlookers and froze. She frowned and cut off Ranma's attempted apology by screaming, "DON'T ALL OF YOU HAVE ANYTHING BETTER TO DO THAN EVESDROP ON PEOPLE."  
  
Stammered apologies and smirking comments abounded from the gathered people but Kyoko cut them off with a yell of frustration. She turned to Ranma "lets go Ran-chan, and it's okay, you didn't know, don't worry about it okay?"  
  
"Are . . . Are you sure U-chan?"  
  
"Yes it's okay, now come on we've a lot to talk about." Kyoko said as she grabbed his arm and pulled him around the corner with barely a pause to pull off her shoes. She then drug him into her apartment and slammed the door in the faces of the others.  
  
"Who was that?" asked the coach.  
  
"That was trouble for you my good fellow," Yotsuya intoned.  
  
"What do you mean," the coach and Godai asked?  
  
"What he means," Mrs. Ichinose rumbled "is that, it's obvious that, that guy is real close to the manager, right? Well coach we all know that the kid here is no real competition right?"  
  
"HEY," Godai yelled out.  
  
"Right," the coach agreed with the older woman.  
  
"Well, this guy is REAL close to the manager, and not only is he going to University he is a martial artist plus he's real good looking in that manly man kinda way. It looks like you finally have some real competition now."  
  
"HEY," Godai yelled out.  
  
"You're right," coach Mitaka murmured suddenly very concerned.  
  
"Another thing I noticed," Mr. Yotsuya said, "Do you notice how he said that he 'took advantage' that he 'used her' and that he 'asked for forgiveness.' Given that the manager is such a trusting soul it's not too unlikely for her to have some cad take advantage of her, for him to use her and cast her aside once he was done and then for her too forgive him only to be again used by the unfeeling brute," Mr. Yotsuya said in mock horror.  
  
As one the coach and Godai looked at each other and nodded "we have too take care of her, for her own good," Shun intoned seriously.  
  
"Yes we have to put aside our fighting for the manager's sake," Godai said as he tried to look serious.  
  
"Well now that we are all resolute in our endeavor to save the manager from some brute who would take advantage of her. We must engage in a minute amount of reconnaissance," he said as he leaned his head against the manager's door.  
  
With a nod the others joined him, they had to find out more about this mysterious stranger.  
  
To Be Continued.  
  
***********************  
  
End Notes: I don't think I am happy with this chapter it just doesn't seem right, like I imagine it in my mind, you know? Originally I planned on making the chapters longer for this fic but I decided on keeping them shorter. Longer than love lost mind you but still shorter than what I planned originally. Next I will work on only human I want to at least get the Cell fight finished that should be another 3 chapters or so. This week I am on vacation so I hope to get some things posted, we'll see. Anyway I hope you all will review and let me know what you think of this chapter. And if you don't like something please tell me I may end up changing it. Provided I agree with you that is. A very good review on the first chapter of Sundered (shameless plug) led me to change a point that now in my planning for the later chapters has actually helped me enormously.  
  
New End Notes: man a lot has happened since I wrote this. But I think it needed a little polishing, don't you? anyway let me know what you think, okay?  
  
Signed: Verse 12 


	3. Chapter Three: Eavesdropping

************************  
  
Love Found?  
  
By Verse12  
  
Verse12@hotmail.com  
  
************************  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters nor do I claim too, this is a simple fan based homage. Their creators and the companies they work for and with own the characters and all that pertains to them. (I.E. Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, Shougakukan) This is just fans of the show expressing their love for it for fun, no profit is involved or expected thank you.  
  
Revised on Apr. 6, 2004. Updated the grammar and spelling, plus made some fixes on dialogue and text.)  
  
***********************  
  
Chapter Three  
  
Eavesdropping  
  
Or  
  
Answers And Misunderstandings  
  
***************************  
  
What Ranma and Kyoko said,  
  
***************************  
  
The two former fiancées became very self-conscious and the silence stretched on between them even after they sat down at the low table in Kyoko's room with their tea. That is until Ranma broke the eerie silence when he asked in a small voice when 'Ukyo' dyed her hair?  
  
With a self-conscious pat of her hair she responded by saying that she actually just stopped dying it, that this was her natural color.  
  
In a nervous voice Ranma replied that he never knew this, after this scintillating conversation the silence strengthened again until Kyoko finally exclaimed.  
  
"OH, Your all wet" as she just noticed Ranma's dripping hair and clothing.  
  
"It's all right" Ranma responded.  
  
"No you'll catch your death," she said as she walked back over with a towel she had retrieved from the linen closet. Kyoko began to dry Ranma's hair for him much to his obvious embarrassment.  
  
This continued on until slowly her hands began to stop. Then in a confused fashion she asked him while feeling his cool and damp hair, "Ranma?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Your hair is wet."  
  
"Yeeesss?" he replied not understanding the point.  
  
"And the water is still cool from the rain?" the manager inquired.  
  
"Yes?" Ranma confirmed.  
  
"Uhm? How?" she asked confused.  
  
"Oooh the curse," Ranma said with a sly grin.  
  
"Yes the curse" Kyoko huffed.  
  
"Easy, easy" Ranma tried to calm her down while he made soothing gesture. "How about, you have a seat and I'll explain how I got cured."  
  
Obviously uneasy but still excited Kyoko sat down.  
  
***********************  
  
What the Maison crew heard,  
  
***********************  
  
Outside the door of the manager's room,  
  
"What did they say?" Godai asked in a worried hiss.  
  
"SHHH!" Shun shushed the younger man.  
  
"Hey watch those hands buster!" Akemi warned as she felt a roaming hand.  
  
"A . . . Ak . . . emi? When did you get down here?" Godai asked nervously, given that it was his hand that accidentally rested on her, ~cough, cough~ Posterior  
  
"Wouldn't you like to know ya pervert!" Akemi glared back at him.  
  
"Hey quiet down I can't hear them, what did they just say?" Ichinose exclaimed as she pressed her ear closer to the door.  
  
"I believe I heard the manager say something about dying, and a curse? Very interesting, don't you think so Mrs. Ichinose." Yotsuya intoned with his usual sardonic wit.  
  
"What could it mean?" The coach asked with a worried frown.  
  
"It means my dear coach, that the scoundrel is plying the manager with some tale of his having an illness to get sympathy." Mr. Yotsuya replied in a grave manner.  
  
"You think?" Godai asked starting to get freaked out.  
  
"SSHH! I can't hear." Ichinose hissed as she leaned on the door.  
  
***********************  
  
What Ranma and Kyoko said,  
  
***********************  
  
"So Are you going to tell me or not?" Kyoko asked with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"Alright, Here goes." After he took a deep breath Ranma began his tale of the last few years. He told her of how things had changed between him and Akane and he eventually told him of how she wanted a divorce. He told her of how he had wandered around lost with no real goal in mind. Till he eventually had ended up in a church where he made a friend who had helped him out. Ranma continued his tale, he told of how he moved into a motorcycle repair shop with another new friend, learning a bunch of different things. Till one day Ranma made a decision, he repented of his sins and asked Jesus into his life as his personal lord and savior.  
  
"I went a week before I noticed that I hadn't changed, in fact I didn't even realize it at the time but it had been a week since I had last been splashed accidentally."  
  
"This is to much, what had happened?" Kyoko asked enthralled.  
  
"Well I eventually put it together that when I became a Christian, I asked God into my heart and something as pitiful as Jusenkyo had no hope of ever overpowering God."  
  
"That's it?"  
  
"Yeah that's why I'm cured and happier than I ever have been before. It took me a while to get it; you see when I found out the truth. I mean that there is one God in heaven and that he loves me, LOVES ME, enough to send his only son to die for the bad things I've done. Not just me though you, Akane even Pop and Happosai.  
  
"I've never really thought much of religion," Kyoko said after a while.  
  
"Hey you know I never did," Ranma said with a laugh. "But that all changed, I never knew I could feel this way. I'm so happy and at peace now, I have a relationship with God almighty, he loves me and cares about me and everything I am. Not only that but he wants the same for you U- Chan."  
  
"This is a lot to take in Ranma. I, I"  
  
"I know, U-Chan, I'm here if you want to talk about this later okay?"  
  
"Yeah thanks Ran-Chan"  
  
***********************  
  
What the Maison crew heard,  
  
***********************  
  
"I still can't hear a thing." Godai muttered.  
  
"I heard him mention 'motorcycles'." Shun said, sounding confused.  
  
"He also said something about 'Loves Me', and 'relationships?'" Ichinose said confused.  
  
"What can it all mean though?" Godai in a desperate whisper.  
  
"Nothing good for the manager I imagine." Yotsuya said as he tried to stir up trouble.  
  
***********************  
  
What Ranma and Kyoko said,  
  
***********************  
  
After a period of silence during which Kyoko refilled their tea, She began to tell of what happened after she had left Nerima.  
  
"I moved to a new area with my parents, yeah we reunited after I left." She said cutting off his questioning gaze.  
  
"Then, well because of how things ended up between us and to satisfy honor. We had to give up, not only our art but, . . ."  
  
"What is it U-Chan?"  
  
She swallowed hard as tears threatened in her eyes, "that's just it Ranma we had to change our names too, my mother's family took us onto their registry and my dad got a job as an salary man. He . . ." Kyoko's further comments were unintelligible as she broke down with sob.  
  
Ranma rushed to her and held her in a tender embrace as she cried on his shoulder. After a minute she descended into a quiet series of hiccups till she blushed and sat back and she pulled away from him.  
  
She looked down with an embarrassed face she tried to think of something to say but her thoughts were derailed when Ranma shocked her by saying.  
  
"It's my fault."  
  
"NO," she exclaimed as she held him by the shoulders "it isn't your fault."  
  
"Yes it is, because of my selfishness your family lost everything."  
  
"No Ran-Chan, I'm not saying that it didn't hurt, but before I blamed you for so long when it wasn't your fault that I was determined not to do that again. There was plenty of blame to go around, but it just wasn't meant to be."  
  
Ranma looked into her eyes and saw her sincerity he smiled at her. "If you forgive me U-Ch . . . hey you said you changed your name?"  
  
"Uhm, yeah?"  
  
"Well what's your name now?"  
  
"Oh!" she exclaimed and she stood up and with a smile she bowed to Ranma "Kyoko Otonashi pleased to meet you."  
  
Ranma smiled back and bowed as well "Nice to meet you Kyoko, I'm Ranma Saotome."  
  
After a good laugh at this series of antics Kyoko warned Ranma, "By the way, just in case if my father comes by you might want to make your self scarce."  
  
Ranma nodded at that before he smiled at his friend that he hadn't seen in far too long.  
  
***********************  
  
What the Maison crew heard,  
  
***********************  
  
"I wish they would speak up." Coach Mitaka muttered.  
  
"No kidding" Akemi frowned as she tried to hear more juicy gossip.  
  
"Should we go in I think I hear her crying?" Godai exclaimed, as he began to grow frightened.  
  
"Yes if he is hurting Ms. Otonashi we have to do something "the Coach, exclaimed in self-righteous fury.  
  
"He she just said 'NO' you don't think he, . . ." Mrs. Ichinose asked in mock horror as she watched the kid and the coach grow more and more desperate.  
  
"We have to help her," Godai exclaimed in desperation.  
  
"No wait, is she laughing? Most intriguing these goings on." Mr. Yotsuya muttered as he tried to draw things out.  
  
"Hey did anyone else hear him mention something about changing his name?" Akemi muttered still a little drunk even after she freshened up.  
  
"SSSHH! They'll hear." Coach Mitaka whispered as the others began to get to loud.  
  
***********************  
  
What Ranma and Kyoko said,  
  
***********************  
  
The duo sat back down and smiled at each other. "You know it's nice to have a friend that I can talk to about these things, no one else here knows about this stuff," Kyoko said.  
  
"Yeah, I think I understand perfectly," he smiled.  
  
"So after I started third year at my new school I tried to fit in more I changed my image. I even joined the tennis club of all things," she said with a smile. "I wore the regular girls uniform like a good little girl, I even made some new friends."  
  
"That's nice Kyoko" Ranma smiled as he tried out her new name.  
  
"Yeah I had fun, got my mind off most of the problems in my life and even had some fun. Then one day we had a substitute teacher his name was Souichiro Otonashi.  
  
"Wait a minute," Ranma said as he thought hard over that name before it hit him. "YOU MARRIED YOUR TEACHER!?!" Ranma exclaimed in shock.  
  
"Um yeah but not right away it was after I graduated that we got married. And Souichiro was a perfect gentleman," Kyoko replied in indignation.  
  
"I'm sorry it just kind of shocked me," Ranma said, even though he was still shocked by this turn of events, "I'm sure he was very nice."  
  
"Yes he was, and the year we shared together was the best of my life" Kyoko said wistfully.  
  
"Oh geeze," Ranma said giving her another hug, "I'm so sorry, I should have been there for you."  
  
"No" Kyoko said as she looked into his eyes, "its okay."  
  
"I'm sorry that happened to you. But at least you had a chance to have happy times with him . . . Not like me and Akane."  
  
"Ran-Chan."  
  
"No it's okay I'm sorry, I am over it but sometimes, you know?"  
  
"Yeah I know," she said in sympathy.  
  
***********************  
  
What the Maison crew heard,  
  
***********************  
  
'YOU MARRIED YOUR TEACHER!?!' they heard yelled from inside.  
  
"My guess is that yon Manager has informed Mr. Saotome of her husband's pre- marital status," Mr. Yotsuya whispered in his usual conniving tone.  
  
"Gee ya think" Mrs. Ichinose muttered.  
  
Then with a crash the group of eavesdroppers fell to the floor inside of the manager's room when she quickly opened the door.  
  
Kyoko looked down on them while she tapped her toe and muttered, "And just what do you think you're doing!" Before she screamed out, "WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT EVESDROPPING!!!"  
  
Godai and the coach jumped up and got in her face "Manager, are you all right?" "Mrs. Otonashi just how do you know this, man anyway?" her two suitors exclaimed in unison.  
  
Ranma smirked and walked up to Kyoko where he put his hand on her shoulder in a very familiar way. "Oh I've known the manager here for a very long time."  
  
"In fact" he paused "me and Kyo-Chan here we, well how to say this? I believe the term fiancée was used on several occasions."  
  
"FIANCEE?"  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
"Oh my this is an interesting development."  
  
"Ah crap not another one after the manager, she don't leave any of the good ones for us other girls."  
  
Just guess who said these statements.  
  
To Be Continued:  
  
Endnotes:  
  
Just to let you all know, yes I did not include how he got the cure in love lost. But come on I need some things for this fic, okay. As for unusual use of Kyoko / U-Chan's name in the first two chapters. When Ranma is thinking and speaking he uses U-Chan, everyone else uses Kyoko. Also give me your votes as to who should end up with whom? I have several ideas about how this could go but I really appreciate input. And more than once a detailed review has led to changes in a story of mine. I only wish I could write more, faster, for you guys. Also reviews can inspire me to write one story over another. One other thing I know that Maison Ikkoku is not in Tokyo in the cannon but in this AU it is.  
  
Well what did you think? Please review.  
  
New Endnotes:  
  
Well that finishes the revision of the old chapters now to see if I can get a new one out soon. Thanks for everything guys I hope that you all like the changes I made in these chapters. Thanks for everything, Later.  
  
Signed: Verse12 


	4. A New Life Begins

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Love Found?  
  
By Verse12  
  
Verse12@hotmail.com  
  
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Disclaimer: I do not own these characters nor do I claim too, this is a simple fan based homage. Their creators and the companies they work for and with own the characters and all that pertains to them. (I.E. Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, Shougakukan) This is just fans of the show expressing their love for it for fun, no profit is involved or expected thank you.  
  
***********************  
  
Chapter Four  
  
A New Life Begins  
  
***********************  
  
'It's been two months since I moved into Maison Ikkoku' Ranma thought as he lay down on his futon in the one room apartment. The birds chirped and the sun shone down on his face as he smiled.  
  
'The others are still leery of me, namely Godai and the Coach. Some of them still try to stir up trouble, namely Yotsuya, Akemi and Mrs. Ichinose. But over all things are going well in my new life,' he reflected to himself in contentment.  
  
'I found a good Church to go too nearby, I got a good part time job at a local motorcycle repair shop, and I passed several entrance exams for different colleges.'  
  
'I still have to make a decision on which to go to though,' he mused to himself. 'I think though I may just have to go with my first instinct.'  
  
"Tokyo-U" he whispered to himself with a smile.  
  
'I never thought I could make it in to Tokyo-U,' he contemplated with a grin. 'I just give thanks to my Lord Jesus for this opportunity. Now I just need to qualify for that student loan and I'll be set. But I don't think I'll have a problem with that not after all he has done for me.'  
  
'Once I get the loan finalized this afternoon I'll tell the others the great news that I was accepted,' he thought with a grin.  
  
Ranma thoughts wandered after this as he dozed in the mid morning sun, 'I cant wait to see the others reactions to where I'm going to school. It should be fun, almost as fun as their reactions when I mentioned Kyo-Chan and me being engaged.'  
  
***********************  
  
Two months ago, shortly after Ranma mentioned him being engaged to Ukyo/Kyoko.  
  
***********************  
  
"RAN-CHAN!" Kyoko shouted out in shock over his choice of words.  
  
He turned an innocent face to her and said, "What its true, Kyo-Chan."  
  
All she could do at his blasé comment was to sputter as the others regained their senses.  
  
"I don't care who you are you shouldn't speak so familiarly to the Manager," Godai said.  
  
"What? Calling her Kyo-Chan?" Ranma asked with a smile.  
  
"YES" Godai and the Coach yelled.  
  
"Its just a play on the pet names we've had for each other when we were little."  
  
"So you have been an associate of the fair Manager since childhood my good man?" Mr. Yotsuya asked with his usual smarmy grin.  
  
"Oh I've know the Manager since we were . . . What was it Kyo-Chan? Six?" He asked as he turned back to her and saw her angry expression. "Uh oh, Sorry Kyo-Chan," he said contritely and turned back the others, "Look I was just kidding about the engagement, that was over years ago. In fact it was something our folks set up when we were just little kids."  
  
Ranma apologized to Kyoko for his inconsiderate Joke and asked her in a joking manner if she still wanted him to stay in.  
  
Kyoko took a deep breath and smiled, "it's all right Ran-Chan, in fact its good to see you in such good spirits so soon after what happened between you and Akane. Come on I'll show you the room," she said as she ushered him down the hallway towards rooms two and three with a frown at the little crowd around her door.  
  
***********************  
  
Back to the Present,  
  
***********************  
  
An incessant beep woke Ranma from the light sleep he had fallen into, "Huh?" He said with a start.  
  
Ranma looked at the beeping wristwatch, he frowned and turned off the alarm, "10:45? Oh no I'M LATE!" He shouted as he realized the time.  
  
He leapt up and grabbed his bag before he rushed down the hallway only slowing down long enough to slip on his shoes by the doorway.  
  
He dashed out only to narrowly avoid Kyoko as she swept the front walk. Luckily he stopped in time to not run her down, sure it took a leaping sideways flip over her but he didn't run her down.  
  
Abashed at his almost accident Ranma turned to Kyoko and asked if she was okay.  
  
Hand to her heart as it raced she replied, "I'm okay Ran-Chan. Why are you in such a hurry anyway?" She questioned after she got her composer back. Meanwhile she was thinking about how much of her martial artist skill's she has lost due to inactivity over the last several years.  
  
"Actually Kyo-Chan I'm running late, I volunteered at a nearby homeless shelter and my first shift is in 15 minutes."  
  
Pleased at this good deed he was doing she smiled a beautiful smile and urged him to get going and to have a good day.  
  
With a spin and a flip he leapt up onto the wall surrounding the property "Thanks a lot Kyo-Chan, I'll see you in a few hours."  
  
He paused a second before he yelled back "Oh hey, Kyo-Chan, I may have some great news about what school I got into when I get back, okay?"  
  
"I can't wait Ran-Chan," she smiled happy for her old friend. She was oblivious to the heartsick look on Godai's face as he looked out from the second floor window to see and hear all that was said.  
  
"Manager?" He mumbled almost inaudibly.  
  
To be continued,  
  
***********************  
  
End Notes:  
  
Eleven months since an actual update, but I haven't given up on this fic. Last week I revised the first three chapters, so if you didn't check those out you might want to reread them too.  
  
I want to thank all of you for your support in all my works, but this one is special to me. Please let me know what you think okay?  
  
Thanks again, later.  
  
Signed: Verse12 


End file.
